


In the Summer Time

by Angel_of_the_Dawn



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M, Silly snake, Summer, Sunshine - Freeform, aziraphale - Freeform, cottage, garden
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21549385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_of_the_Dawn/pseuds/Angel_of_the_Dawn
Summary: Crowley gets derailed by summer. Aziraphale comes to the rescue.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens)
Kudos: 26





	In the Summer Time

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a bit of fun that I spent way too much time on. It is in the same universe as my previous story Garden Spells.

At first Aziraphale didn't think anything of it. Before they were married, they hadn't spent all their time together, as they did now. He was bound to learn some things he hadn't previously known about the demon. It was a little disconcerting, but Crowley was a snake after all. As long as he brushed his teeth regularly, it would be rude to object. Right?

Their first summer in Paradise cottage was like a dream come true.There had been quite a few delightfully warm days. Crowley was spending all his waking hours in the garden. He had forgone most of his regular clothes and was working in a pair of black cut offs, tank top, and flip flops. From time to time, Aziraphale would join him outside, bringing him drinks, sitting in the shade to read, or admiring Crowley's lean, tanned physique. Sometimes he would join Aziraphale on the blanket for a snog and a snooze.

On one such afternoon, they were lying there naming the shapes they saw in the clouds, when Aziraphale heard Crowley's jaw snap. He turned his head to look at the demon and watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed. What was that about? A couple of minutes later, it happened again, then again a few minutes after that. "Is something wrong Crowley?"

"What are you talking about, angel?"  
"You are making strange noises."  
"You are imagining things."

He let it drop. The demon stood up, stretched, and sniffed the air. That's when Aziraphale saw it happen. Quick as lightning Crowley's tongue flashed out and snagged a passing fly. There was the snap. There was the swallow. Oh, dear.

The angel had read as much as he could about snakes and their habits before he married Crowley. He knew all the kinds of things they were prone to eat, depending on the species, but he had never actually seen Crowley eat like a snake. He didn't want to embarrass him. Crowley leaned down to give him a kiss before he went back to work. Aziraphale turned his head so the kiss landed on his cheek instead of his lips. The demon raised one eyebrow but didn't say anything.

Aziraphale tried to read his book. However, the occasional "Snap!" From the vegetable patch was disconcerting. He went inside. The next day was a bit drizzly, so they stayed in and watched movies up in the media room. Aziraphale forgot about the flies.

The morning after dawned clear and bright. Crowley was full of energy. The best time for weeding is after a rain. He drank his coffee and headed out. Soon after, Aziraphale took his tea to the library. He stood by the french doors and looked out at the demon with his hands in the dirt. "Oh, Lord. He's not doing what I think he's doing?" Crowley had pulled a long, pink, wriggling earth worm from the loam and suspended it over his mouth. Sure enough, he slurped it in like a strand of spaghetti, then went back to pulling weeds. "Oh, my." Aziraphale stayed inside the rest of the day. 

When he came in for lunch, Crowley brought some lovely greens for a salad. He noticed the angel seemed a little distant but chalked it up to his immersion in a good book. Aziraphale took an awful lot of care washing the greens. 

Later that evening, just after sunset, the angel heard Crowley call from the library. "Angel! Come here. You've got to see this." He was standing by the French doors and reached out his hand to Aziraphale as he came and stood next to the demon. Together they watched as one by one fireflies flashed and lit up the garden like fairy lights in the dark. It was a magical sight. "Let'sss go out," said Crowley.

Aziraphale took his time answering. "Let's not bother them," he finally said, "It's nice just standing here like this."

"I sssuppossse you're right."

Aziraphale breathed out slowly in relief.

The next day Crowley was not himself. Well, he actually was himself, but Aziraphale hadn't seen him acting more snake than human in a long time. He was curled on the kitchen table in the morning sun when the angel came in to make his tea and toast. "Crowley! What are you doing!" 

Crowley, raised his head and seemed to become aware of his surroundings. He hopped off the table. "Sssorry, angel. Don't know what came over me." He squeezed the angel tightly, then said brightly, "Going out! No fliesss on me! Gotta make hay while the sssunshinessss! Erg! Can't believe I sssaid that."

"Hmm." Aziraphale's brain was trying to tell him something important about Crowley's behavior, but it wasn't getting through yet. He sat down for his tea and toast. By the time he was done, he concluded he would just have to have a talk with the demon. He would wait an hour or so, and bring him out something to drink, so he had an excuse to interrupt. Crowley could get very focussed on what he was doing and not listen well. 

It was more like two hours before Aziraphale went out. He got distracted by a bookbinding job. 

The sun was shining brightly in a cloudless sky. A blast of warm, humid air hit the angel when he stepped out into the back garden. His eyes had to adjust to the light for a few seconds before he looked around. He sneezed. "Blesssss you," He heard Crowley say. He couldn't tell where the sound came from. It seemed to reverberate in the surrounding air. Aziraphale walked toward the vegetable patch but there was no sign of the demon. However, going away from the patch toward the middle of the sun drenched lawn was a black trail, like a dotted line, made of Crowley's clothes: tank top, shorts, underwear, and flip flops. 

At the end of the trail, lay the demon, stretched out on the grass in all his glory. He had shed his skin, in a manner of speaking. His chin was tilted up to the sun, and his arms were over his head. He looked remarkably relaxed. Aziraphale didn't want to startle him, so he made as much noise as possible walking up to stand beside Crowley. He cast a shadow on the demon's face. Crowly frowned and hissed, "Sssun." Aziraphale moved over a couple of steps." Crowley's face relaxed again. Any other time, the angel might have tried to take advantage of the situation but he knew this was not normal.

"Crowley, you need to put your clothes back on."  
"Who sssayss?"  
"I do. I don't want you arrested for public indecency. People come by here all the time on their way to the river."  
"Mmph!" Crowley grunted like a petulant child.

Aziraphale poked him gently in the ribs with the toe of his blue canvas shoe. Crowley giggled and slapped loosely at his foot. "Ssstop it, you ssilly sseraphim." 

This called for drastic measures. Aziraphale laid the bundle of Crowley's clothes on his chest. He crouched down and slid one arm under the demon's shoulders and one under his knees. With a small groan, he lifted the demon up into his arms and started marching toward the house. "Hey!," the demon yelled. He tried to squirm out of Aziraphale's grasp but the angel just tightened his grip. Crowley lacked the strength and resolve to fight back, so he went limp instead. This loose limbed Crowley was much harder for the angel to shift through the french doors that led to the guest bedroom, but somehow he managed without dropping him. 

Aziraphale tried to deposit Crowley firmly on the bed, but the demon had wrapped his arms around the angel's neck and wouldn't let go. "Aww, 'Ziraphale," he said, "aren't you going to try to ssseduce me?" He pulled the angel down next to him and began nuzzling his cheek. Aziraphale sighed with chagrin. This was going to take will power. 

"Look, Crowley. You are not well."  
"I fffeeel fffine."  
"Yes, but, frankly, you are acting like you are under the influence of a euphoria inducing substance."  
"Who ssays I'm not. You sssmell good."  
"Oh. Tell me what you've been taking then."  
"Who sssays I've been taking sssomething? You tasste good."  
"But you just said..."  
"Sssunshine almost alwaysss makesss me hhhiiiigh! Crowley crooned, then snorted out a laugh. Aziraphale rolled his eyes. Before he could think of something else to ask, the demon flicked his tongue on Aziraphale's cheek again. "Mmmm, Sssangria, ssspiced custard, sssteak."  
"Steak! That's it!"

Aziraphale sat up quickly. Crowley fell back on the bed with a thump. The angel very sternly asked him, "Where is your phone?" 

"On the sssofa."  
"Stay right here. Don't move till I get back."

"Who'sss no fffun now?" The demon yelled as Aziraphale ran to the living room to get the phone.

Sure enough, Crowley had not turned on the phone in days. He had multiple missed calls, texts, and notifications, including the one reminding him to eat his monthly dose of concentrated protein. Steak. It's what kept his inner snake calm and quiet, for the most part. Crowley rarely forgot. Aziraphale never reminded him. He didn't need a mother. Circumstances, and the sunlight had derailed him. It was an easy fix. 

Aziraphale went into Crowley's contacts, scrolled through to "butcher" and tapped.  
"Mr. Hodgkins? This is Mr. Fell of Paradise cottage."  
"Fine thank you. How about you?"  
"Yes, the usual. Could you have Charlie deliver it as soon as possible?"  
"Thank you."

Aziraphale's stomach growled

"Mr. Hodgkins? Why don't we make it two this time."


End file.
